Journal, November 1714: Journal Book Q

Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 2, February 1709 - March 1715. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1925.

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'Journal, November 1714: Journal Book Q', in Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 2, February 1709 - March 1715, (London, 1925) pp. 571-575. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/jrnl-trade-plantations/vol2/pp571-575 [accessed 19 March 2024]

Journal, November 1714

November 1. Present:—Lord Guilford, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Monckton, Mr. Moore, Mr. Vernon.

Trade.

Letter from the Lord Viscount Townshend with papers against trading to the South Sea.

Merchants summon'd thereupon.

Letter from the Lord Viscount Townshend, of 28th last month [fo. 333], inclosing copies of one from Monsieur Pontchartrain to Monsieur D'Iberville, and of the declaration of the French King, referr'd to therein, against trading to the South Sea, were read. Whereupon order'd that letters be writ to Sir James Dolliffe and Mr. Ury, secretary to the South Sea Company, signifying that their lordships desire to speak with the former and other Spanish merchants, together with some of the directors of the said Company thereupon [fo. 332] on Wednesday next at eleven a clock in the morning.

St. Christopher's.

Order of a committee with petition about resettling the French part of that island.

Order of a Committee of Council, of 27th October, 1714, referring to the Board the petitions of Stephen Duport and other French refugees [fo. 198], relating to the resettling the French part of the island of St. Christopher's, was read.

Trade.

Letter from Lord Viscount Townshend &c.

Morocco treaty.

Merchants summon'd.

Letter from the Lord Viscount Townshend, of 28th last month, with copies of two from Captain Paddon, as also of a treaty concluded by him with the Emperor of Morrocco [fo. 331, 335], were read; and thereupon ordered that a letter be writ to Mr. Samuel Winder, desiring to speak with him and such other merchants as we shall think proper thereupon, on Wednesday next at eleven a clock in the morning.

November 2. Present:—Lord Guilford, Mr. Monckton, Mr. Moore, Mr. Vernon.

Trade.

Letter from Mr. Carkesse with a list of goods imported and exported to and from Flanders.

A letter from Mr. Carkesse [fo. 326], in answer to two writ him the 15th and 26th of last month, inclosing a list of the several species of goods exported from this kingdom to the Spanish Netherlands, and of those imported from thence hither; and another also of the quantities of such of the goods as have been exported or imported, from Christmas, 1712, to Christmas, 1713, was read.

Copies to be taken of the several species thereof.

Whereupon ordered that copies be taken of the several species of goods in the said lists, in order to their lordships’ observations thereupon.

November 3. Present:—Lord Guilford, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Monckton, Mr. Moore, Mr. Vernon.

Miscellanies.

Incident charges.

The secretary laid before their lordships the accounts of incidental charges in the service of this Board, from Christmas, 1713, to Michaelmas following [fo. 285], which are as follows, vizt.:

l. s. d.
Account of petty expences, from Christmas, 1713, to Lady Day, 1714, amounting to 44 5 6
The same, from Lady Day, 1714, to Midsumer following, amounting to 57 15 6
The same, from Midsummer, 1714, to Michaelmas following, amounting to 42 13 8
The stationer's account, from Christmas, 1713, to Lady [Day], 1714, amounting to 45 14 3
The same, from Lady Day, 1714, to Midsummer following, amounting to 26 6 6
The stationer's account, from Midsummer, 1714, to Michaelmas following, amounting to 34 8 2
The post officer's account, from Christmas, 1713, to Lady Day, 1714, amounting to 9 16 10
The same, from Lady Day, 1714, to Midsummer following, amounting to 16 15 9
The same, from Midsummer, 1714, to Michaelmas following, amounting to 22 19 3
Samuel Clark's account for wood and coals 33 10 9
£334 6 2

Letter to the Treasury praying payment thereof.

Whereupon a letter to the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, praying payment thereof, as likewise of the salaries due to this Office for the same time, was signed.

Trade.

Barbary merchants’ observations on the Morocco treaty.

Mr. Winder, Mr. Norton and another Barbary merchant attending, their lordships communicated to them the treaty lately concluded with the Emperor of Morocco [fo. 328], mention'd in the minutes of the 1st instant; whereupon they said that they were very well satisfy's therewith, provided it be sign'd and ratify'd by the Emperor. In relation to the appointing of a consul in Barbary, they said it wou'd be of no advantage to them, for that the Moors would have no regard for such consuls, and therefore they did not think it would be worth their while to pay such an officer. Besides that the trade wou'd not bear it. Then their lordships gave those gentlemen a copy of the said treaty for their observations thereupon.

Trade.

Letter from Mr. Ury, excusing the South Sea Company attending.

A letter from Mr. Ury, secretary to the South Sea Company, signifying that none of that Company could attend the Board this day, as had been desired the first instant [fo. 328], was read.

November 9. Present:—Lord Guilford, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Monckton, Mr. Vernon.

Trade.

State of the fishery.

Their lordships agreed to take into consideration, on Tuesday morning next, the state of the fishery of this kingdom [fo. 241].

November 10. Present:—Lord Guilford, Mr. Monckton, Mr. Moore, Mr. Vernon.

New York.

Naval stores.

Letter from Lord Townshend.

Letter from the Lord Viscount Townshend, of the 8th instant, with an extract of one from Mr. Caleb Heathcote, of New York [fo. 398], relating to the production of naval stores in that province, was read; whereupon ordered that all the papers which are in this office relating to naval stores be look'd out.

November 11. Present:—Lord Guilford, Mr. Monckton, Mr. Moore.

Trade.

Letter to Lord Viscount Townshend in answer to one from him about Flanders tariffs, to a letter &c. against trading to the South Sea.

A letter to the Lord Viscount Townshend [fo. 327], in answer to one from him of the 28th (fn. 1) of the last month, in relation to the tariffs in the Spanish Netherlands, and inclosing the copy of a letter from Monsieur Ponchartrain to Monsieur D'Iberville, of the 17th October, 1714, and of a declaration of the French King's, referrd to in it, mention'd in the minutes of the 1st instant, was sign'd.

November 16. Present:—Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Monckton, Mr. Vernon.

Barbadoes.

Letter from Lord Townshend.

Commission and instructions for Mr. Lowther.

Letter from the Lord Viscount Townshend, of the 10th instant, desiring the Board to prepare a commission and instructions for Robert Lowther, esquire, to be Governor of Barbadoes [fo. 408], was read; and the said commission having been prepared, a letter was immediately sign'd, inclosing the same to his lordship.

Newfoundland.

Nova Scotia.

Letter from Lord Townshend &c. about the French inhabitants there.

Colonel Vetch summon'd.

Letter from the Lord Viscount Townshend, of the 15th instant [fo. 346], with a copy of one from Monsieur de Ponchartrain to Monsieur D'Iberville, relating to the French inhabitants at Nova Scotia, was read; and thereupon order'd that Colonel Vetch [fo. 336], have notice to attend the Board on Thursday morning next.

Nevis.

Letter from Lord Townshend with one about hostages and capitulation at Nevis.

General Hamilton summon'd.

Letter from the Lord Viscount Townshend, of the 15th instant, with a copy of one from Monsieur de Ponchartrain to Monsieur D'Iberville, relating to the hostages and capitulation of Nevis, was read; and thereupon ordered that General Hamilton have likewise notice to attend the Board on Thursday morning next.

November 19. Present:—Lord Guilford, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Monckton, Mr. Vernon.

Trade.

Barbary merchants’ representation on the Morocco treaty.

Letter to Lord Viscount Townshend thereupon.

A representation of the Barbary merchants, containing their observations on a treaty concluded by Captain Paddon with the Emperor of Morocco [fo. 328], was read; and a letter to my Lord Viscount Townshend, in answer to his of the 28th of the last month, in relation thereto, was imediately drawn up and signed.

November 23. Present:—Lord Guilford, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Vernon.

Newfoundland.

Nova Scotia.

Colonel Vetch &c. thoughts on inhabitants removing from Nova Scotia to Cape Briton.

Pontchartrain.

D'Iberville.

Colonel Vetch, Mr. Cumings and Mr. Smith attending [fo. 334, 338], their lordships communicated to them the copy of a letter from Monsieur de Ponchartrain to Monsieur D'Iberville, relating to the removing the inhabitants from Nova Scotia to Cape Briton (mention'd in the minutes of the 16th instant); whereupon Colonel Vetch said that the settlement of Cape Britton is incouraged by the French King as much as possible; that he has given the people that will settle there 18 months’ provisions and salt gratis, and has lent them some ships and sloops for carrying on the fishery at his own charge; that they have begun to build two fortifications, in the first of which there are four companys of regular troops, in the other three; that when two French officers were sent to Nova Scotia, they assembled the inhabitants there, and proposed to them to remove with their effects to Cape Briton, and threatn'd them that, in case they did not, the King would look upon them as rebells, and they should be treated accordingly. Whereupon all but one family signed an instrument promising to go thither; that there are about 500 families in Nova Scotia, computed at five persons to a family; that those inhabitants, by having lived many years there, and by their inter-marriages with the Indians, and being accustomed to their way of living, are of greater consequence to the French, if settled at Cape Britton, than any people can be, that are sent from Europe; that there are no English at Nova Scotia, but what belongs to the garrison.

Mr. Cumings then said that he was lately come from Placentia; that upon the surrender of that place there were about 150 families, but that they had been obliged (upon the same threats as abovementioned at Nova Scotia) to go to Cape Britton, so that there now remains about 15 or 16 families there; that there were three or four companies of foot at Placentia, which were sent to Cape Britton, as were likewise others from Quebeck.

Newfoundland.

Nova Scotia.

Queries deliver'd for their answer.

After some further discourse with those gentlemen upon this subject [fo. 336, 347], their lordships agreed upon several queries, and delivered the same to them for their particular answers in writing, and desired them to add whatever else might occur to them in relation thereto.

The said queries are as follows:—
How many French families are there in Nova Scotia?
How many will remove to Cape Britton?
How many French families are there on Cape Britton? How are they settled, and what incouragement does the French King give them?
What is the consequence of the French removing from Nova Scotia or Newfoundland to Cape Britton?
What fortifications are there at Cape Britton, and how many regular troops?
What number of French is there on Newfoundland, and how many families will remain?
When did the French families desire to remove from Nova Scotia or Newfoundland, and when did they begin to do it, and to convey away their moveable effects?
What quantity of cattle will they carry away, if they have leave? and what will be the consequence thereof?
What will be the consequence of permitting the French at Nova Scotia and Newfoundland to sell their lands, houses, beaches, stages, &c.?
What quantity of fish did the French take at Cape Britton, and parts adjacent, this year?

November 25. Present:—Lord Guilford, Sir Philip Meadows, Mr. Monckton, Mr. Vernon.

Nevis.

Mr. Baker.

Debentures delivered.

Mr. Baker attending, and the powers of attorney from two of the sufferers of Nevis to the said Mr. Baker being examin'd at the Board, the two debentures number'd 310 and 502 were deliver'd to him.

Mr. Carpenter.

Debentures deliver'd.

Mr. Carpenter likewise attending, and the powers of attorney from two of the sufferers of St. Christopher's and Nevis being examin'd at the Board, the two debentures number'd 389 and 455 were delivered to him.

Footnotes

  • 1. Altered in the margin to “the 8th.”